Garment construction

ABSTRACT

A garment constructed in the form of a cape having a pair of spaced arm openings permitting the wearer to pass her arms to the front of the garment. A flap member is provided on the inner side of the garment adjacent each arm opening, said flap member overlapping the opening to conceal the dress worn beneath the garment.

United States Patent 1191 Scarsella 1 1 Jan. 2, 1973 [541 GARMENT CONSTRUCTION 1,229,270 6/1917 Howard ..2/88 1,467,718 9/1923 Entrikin et a1.... ..2/88 [75 1 Invent Lydia Sumn" 2,898,599 8/1959 Seckendorf ..2/88 [73] Assignee: Zim-Stra Originals Inc., New York, 5

Primary Examiner-Patrick D. Lawson Nov. 27 I Attorney-Irving Seidman [21] Appl. No 93,055 57 ABSTRACT A garment constructed in the form of a cape having a U.S. p i f p d arm p i g p itti g th wearer t {51] 1] Cl. ..A4 ld 3/08 pass her arms to the front of the garment. A p Fleld of Search member i provided on the inner side of the garment adjacent each arm opening, said flap member over- [56] References Clied lapping the opening to conceal the dress worn beneath UNITED STATES PATENTS garment- 2,271,128 1/1942 McCoy...'. ..2/88 3 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJAM 2 1975 3107.729

INVENTOR LYDIA SCARSELLA AT TOR NEY.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to garments, such as capes or coats, and has particular reference to the armhole construction to conceal the garment worn beneath the coat or cape and for warmth.

An object of the invention is the provision of a garment having an armhole or handhole construction with a flap beneath or inside of the garment adjacent each armhole, the flap having a free end portion overlapping and projecting to the rear of the garment and beyond the armhole to conceal the garment worn beneath the coat.

, A further object of the invention is the provision of a garment which is constructed so that the garment is reinforced adjacent the armhole where stress is greatest and so fashioned that the garment will not tear readily around the armholes.

While raincoats and other protective garments have been provided with openingsin their front portions through which to project the arm and hand, the armhole or handhole pemiitted rain and wind to enter such openings and wet the dress or garment worn beneath the outer garment. Thus, protection of the wearer against inclement weather was not satisfactory. Furthermore, it was possible to see the garment or dress worn beneath the coat or outer garment through the armholes which is not desirable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION and hands of the wearer within the garment, the armholes or openings appear as slits with the fabric adjacent the armholes nearest the sides of the garment overlying the flaps so that'the armholes are virtually closed because of the resistance of the overlying fabric and the flap thus preventing the cold from entering the garment through the armholes.

For certain styles where a belt is desired for the garment with my construction above referred to, I have provided vertical slits at or adjacent the inner or front edge portion of the opposed armholes to permit a belt to be passed therethrough. When'a belt is used it lies between the back of the garment and theback of the wearer with the ends passing through such slits to be looped or tied at the front of the garment.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference is had to the following detailed description in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. l is a front elevational view of a coat embodying my invention:

FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial view of the inside of one front portion of the coat showing the flap adjacent the armhole;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken through line 33 of FIG. 2 illustrating my invention, showing a portion of the body of the coat, the flap and the opening through which the arm of the wearer may pass,

FIG. 4 is an alternative sectional view of a portion of the body of the coat, the flap and the opening and showing the flap set back of the opening;

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of a coat embodying my invention with a belt and openings for the belt to pass therethrough;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken through line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, numeral 10 indicates a garment in the form of a coat (without sleeves) with a pair of openings or armholes 11 formed in the front portions of the garment to permit the hand and arm to pass through such openings outwardly to the exterior of the garment, if desired. The gannent comprises the body portion which includes front parts 12 and 13 which normally overlap during use so as to protect the body of the wearer. The armholes 11 are preferably vertically elongated slits or openings, like a vertical pocket, having opposed edges 14, 15, the fabric of which is turned back upon itself as shown in FIG. 3. The garment is generally made with a lining but for the purpose of simplicity I have omitted the lining in the sectional views 3, 4 and 6.

A flap 16, preferably made of the same fabric used for the coat of substantially rectangular shape and approximately the height of the armholes I 1 has one of its long edges stitched to the edge 14 of the armhole 11 by stitching 17 leaving the opposite long edge 18 free. Flap 16 is sufficiently high and wide enough to substantially overlie the armhole 11 so that if the armhole is spread by passing the arm of the wearer therethrough, the flap 16 will amply cover such opening and the dress or garment worn beneath the coat will not be visible from the front. It should be noted that the free end 18 of the flap 16 is directed towards the side of the coat so that the ample width of flap 16 not only covers the opening of the armhole 11 but also aids in keeping the wearer warm. Since the flap 16 has an inner free end 18, an opening 19 is thus provided between the fabric of the outer coat front 12 and the flap 16 and permits the wearer to pass her arm through openings 19 and 1 1, respectively, towards the front or outside of the garment. 1

It may be desirable, in many of the different coat designs embodying my invention to tack with thread the free comers of the flap 16 to the body portion of v the garment so that the flap always lies against the garment body and still allows the arm of the wearer to pass through the opening 19.

In FIG. 4, I have shown an alternative construction of attaching flap 16' adjacent the edge of the armhole by stitching one end of flap l6 inwardly from the edge 14' by stitching 20 of the order of one inch which may be desirable in some instances both for styling and to permit more flexibility and movement of the flap.

FIG. 5 shows a garment having the same flap and armhole construction as shown and described for FIGS. 1 to 4 herein except that it provides a pair of opposed slits or openings 21 adjacent the inner vertical openings 15' to permit the ends of a belt 22 to pass therethrough. If a belt is used, as shown in FIG. 5, it lies between the back of the wearer and the inside back of the coat and when looped or tied in the front it will provide a tightening of the front of the garment about the waist of the wearer and still permit the wearer to pass her arms and hands through the armholes to the front of the garment. If desired, pockets may be provided at the front of the garment below the armholes so that the wearer can place her hands within such pockets.

It is understood that my armhole construction can be applied to a variety of outerwear garments and is not limited to the style of the garment.

lclaim:

l. A gannent comprising:

a. front, sides and back portions;

b. a pair of spaced slit arm openings in the front portion;

0. a pair of wide flaps on the inner side of the front portion, each of said flaps having opposed side edges and being located behind an associated slit arm opening;

d. means for attaching one of the side edges of the flap to one marginal edge portion of the associated slit opening;

e. each of said flaps having a substantial width and extending over the associated slit opening and beyond the other marginal edge portion thereof, with the other side edge of each flap being free and projecting toward the back portion of the garment;

whereby the wearer can pass her arms between the free ends of the respective flaps and the inner side of the front portion of the garment, and through the respective slit openings thereof.

2. The garment in accordance with claim 1 further including means for securing a portion of the free end of each of said flaps to the inner side of the front portion of said garment to retain said flap substantially against the inner body of the garment.

3. The garment in accordance with claim 1, wherein said front portion further includes a second pair of spaced openings, and a belt having its ends passing through said last mentioned openings to permit said garment to be secured about the waist of the wearer. 

1. A garment comprising: a. front, sides and back portions; b. a pair of spaced slit arm openings in the front portion; c. a pair of wide flaps on the inner side of the front portion, each of said flaps having opposed side edges and being located behind an associated slit arm opening; d. means for attaching one of the side edges of the flap to one marginal edge portion of the associated slit opening; e. each of said flaps having a substantial width and extending over the associated slit opening and beyond the other marginal edge portion thereof, with the other side edge of each flap being free and projecting toward the back portion of the garment; whereby the wearer can pass her arms between the free ends of the respective flaps and the inner side of the front portion of the garment, and through the respective slit openings thereof.
 2. The garment in accordance with claim 1 further including means for securing a portion of the free end of each of said flaps to the inner side of the front portion of said garment to retain said flap substantially against the inner body of the garment.
 3. The garment in accordance with claim 1, wherein said front portion further includes a second pair of spaced openings, and a belt having its ends passing through said last mentioned openings to permit said garment to be secured about the waist of the wearer. 